August 2003
5/8/03 - our last friendly before the real thing. At home vs lower team Dover Athletic. We win 2-0 on goals by Meechan (in the 8th minute, great pass by Odejayi) and by Killeen off a corner in the 80th minute.
We put the team on a custom-made first team schedule without any cross-country training in-season. Looking at the starting lineup for the regular season, we go with the following based on their performance in the friendlies:
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Perrin
Jones - Impey - El Khalej - Jenkins
Kanchelskis - Paulinho - Owers - Allen
Odejayi - Offiong
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Depth chart:
GK: Perrin - Glassup
DL: Jenkins - Futcher
DC: El Khalej - Dodsworth - Tiler
DC: Impey - Richardson
DR: Jones - Williams
ML: Allen - Sykes - Futcher
MC: Owers - (El Khalej)
MC: Paulinho - McLoughlin - Adams
MR: Kanchelskis - Russell - Williams
FC: Odejayi - Meechan
FC: Offiong - Killeen
I'm pretty satisfied with the midfield, but would like to see more speed overall on the team - especially the wing backs could be exploited on quick attacks down the flanks. A fast guy as attacker would be nice as well.
We sign a new contract with Adams and continue negotiation with Jones. The only other with an expiring contract is Grayson. Jones sign our next bid two days later. We're still about £1800 under the wage budget.
Dag and Red are 6-4 favorites to gain promotion from the Conference this season, we've been rated at 100-1, that's long odds for sure. The scout reports that Hereford is a competent team, but their attack isn't the fastest.
16/8/03 - away vs Hereford. Darren Jones dons the captain's bindle, and we start defensively to try to take advantage of quick counter attacks. Odejayi score the first goal off a corner, but in the second half we get a penalty kick against us, which John Grant calmly converts. Hereford's Andy Tretton is sent off for pulling substitute Killeen's shirt while he was bearing down on goal. The game ends with a 1-1 draw. Daniel Allen, the left winger, fractured his ribs and will miss a month.
El Khalej has been called up to the Morocco international team for the game vs Sierra Leone in the African Nations Cup qualifier.
23/8/03 - at home vs Southport, 11th in the Conference. Allen is replaced by Sykes in the lineup. We take the lead when Sykes lift in a pass to Offiong in the box where he scores an easy goal. In the 58th minute we get a second goal from Offiong, and Odejayi score a third four minutes later. A very nice 3-0 win, with Paulinho as the man of the match. Owers got a groin strain and will be away from the lineup for 4 weeks.
Midfielder McLoughlin returns to full training. I'm not getting much production out of my left back, so I start to scan for any available extras.
30/8/03 - away at Scarborough, 5th in the Conference. El Khalej is replaced by Russell. We lose 0-3 as Karl Rose bags two in the final four minutes.
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Conference standings:
1. Nuneaton Borough 9 pts, +8 GD
2. Scarborough 9 pts, +7 GD
3. Dag & Red 9 pts, +7 GD
4. Aldershot 9 pts, +5 GD
5. Halifax 9 pts, +5 GD
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11. Forest Green 4 pts, 0 GD
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20. Northwich Vics 0 pts, -5 GD
21. Burton Albion 0 pts, -6 GD
22. Shrewsbury 0 pts, -7 GD
Top rated players on the team:
Paulinho, 7.66 over 3 games
K.Odejayi, 7.66 over 3 games
G.Owers, 7.50 over 2 games